Red Stripes
by BlackWidowPretty
Summary: They say death is inevitable. It hurts you everywhere in life. But what if there was a way you could cut it to the chase? Dark, suicidal. Careful.


**HAHAHAHA! *clears throat* I'm just laughing to put you in a "good" mood. This story, is dark, suicidal, and there really isn't anything funny about it. I was just trying to lighten the mood before you read this.*shrug***

**Anyway. I do NOT have a specific direct experience with this kinda thing. But my two best friends in the world did. This was partly influenced by them, and also the Ellen Hopkins books. She is fantastic, read her books.**

**Warnings: Dark, suicidal themes, death. But not any we haven't had before. **

**Disclaimer: I doubt that if I actually owned these characters that they would do this kind of thing. But you know.**

**Read on, my feathers.**

"Your father is dead."

The force of the words brought her to her knees. Her mother ran sobbing to her side, smothering her in her arms. Julius Root's form blurred in her eyes as they filled with tears.

"I assure you, he felt no pain."

His voice was empty to her, the words useless to soothe her grief. Her mother just wailed louder, making her ears ring. Holly struggled to stop the waterfall of salty tears that had flowed out at the first sentence.

"He was a brave soldier."

Holly fought desperately to control her sobs. Anger bubbled inside her. More useless words from the mouth of someone who could have saved him. She would hate him for a short while.

"He will be sorely missed."

Her world was burning up, collapsing on top of her. She wanted to be strong, but the thought made a wave of dizziness sweep over her. She clenched her fists.

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

The wave of sickness found her stomach and she vomited her most recent meal on the maroon carpet at Root's feet.

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'Your father is dead.'

The phrase echoed cruelly in her mind even in the silence of the night-muffled house. Sitting at her table, she burned the stainless steel knife with her angry gaze. What did she have to live for?

'Your father is dead.'

Her fingers clenched the black handle until they turned white. Her wrist was upturned on the marble, her skin pale, flawless canvas. The knife's tip poked her skin. She winced.

'Your father is dead.'

A red stripe of blood followed the knife down, blue vein inching closer. The rosy liquid poured onto the white countertop. She was about to end her life. A single thought stopped her: 'Mum.'

Her mother would go mad with grief if Holly were to die. She pulled the knife from her wrist, shaking. The blue sparks she had prevented from healing her now leaped along her arm, sealing her cut, leaving behind a single red stripe.

* * *

"Your mother is dead."

The icy wall to her emotions she had built up fell down, releasing overwhelming misery. A week. A whole week her mother had fought the human radiation. A week of torture.

"She died in her sleep, so don't worry."

Julius Root's voice drove daggers into her soul. How many times would he destroy her life? But no, he was walking over to take her sobbing form in his arms. Amidst the sadness was a small hint of admiration for her future Commander.

"I'll help you any way I can."

She sniffled and choked sobs on the blue shoulder of his uniform. She was briefly reminded of her father. Could this strict, temperamental elf become a small substitute?

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

No. Holly sprang from his embrace. Too fast. Swirling darkness enveloped her vision. He tried to catch her. She blacked out.

* * *

'Your mother is dead.'

The steamy water ran down her body, but the heat could not soothe her. She stood in the shower, clenching a green razor. She wasn't going to shave her legs.

'Your mother is dead.'

She refused to suffer underground while the humans ate away the earth. The LEP didn't need a girl anyway. Pity she had to give up policing, though. It was the one thing in her life she loved.

'Your mother is dead.

The razor cut into her flesh, and memories sprang to life. The news of her father's death. The night of the news. The steak knife.

'Your mother is dead.'

Blood swirled in the shower water. A red stripe formed by the scar of its twin. Holly sobbed. What could she have left to live for?

'Your mother is dead.

Julius Root. She froze. The LEP Commander. He admired and respected her and had faith that she would be a great female officer. Would he grieve her death. Her anger said no, but her mother, a vision brewing in her mind, said yes.

Holly allowed the magic to heal the second cut. She dropped the razor and fell to her knees. The last of her blood slid down the drain. Her tears mixed with the water. She wept and shook, looking at the two red stripes together on her wrist.

* * *

"Julius Root is dead."

She held her knees tightly to her chest on the couch. Dead. Her Commander was dead. The closest person that could have temporarily replaced the deaths of her parents. Dead.

"Holly Short is a suspect in his murder."

The reporter's emotionless face blurred with Holly's angry tears. 'Bastard,' she thought, hatred sizzling in her soul. She knew it was unfair to hate the reporter. He was just doing his job.

"It will be ok, Holly."

She glanced tearfully at the young Mud Boy. After their last adventure, he had stayed with Holly, trying to help her. She found pity in his ice blue eyes. That was the last thing she wanted.

"Julius was a brave elf."

Her anger cooled a little. Even for a genius, he didn't always know how to react to other's sadness. She pressed the off button on the remote and looked back at her human friend.

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

Her stare grew fiery and she stormed out of the room, fresh tears burning her cheeks. She slammed the door to her bedroom collapsed on the floor sobbing.

* * *

'Julius Root is dead.'

Holly sat shaking on her bed. Shivering from a bone deep cold in spite of the warmth of her apartment. She knew what she was about to do. The evidence was on her wrists.

'Julius Root is dead.'

Her hand went to the drawer of her bedside table. She reached in, pulling out a pair of blue scissors. She pushed the gray fabric of her shirt up, her wrist displaying two twin red strips.

'Julius Root is dead.'

The point of the scissors cut into her skin. The pain it caused was long missed to her. She closed her eyes. The reporter's voice echoed in her mind, along with another.

'Julius Root is dead.'

"Holly?"

'Julius Root--dead.'

"Holly."

'Julius is dead.'

"HOLLY!"

Artemis burst into the room and yanked the scissors from her clenched fist. He grabbed her shoulders and shook.

"Holly, look at yourself! What are you doing?"

Holly couldn't respond. Blood flowed with tears onto the bed sheets. His hold on her shoulders softened. He sat before her on the bed, taking her hands in his. Looking down, he noticed two more scars next to the healing fresh one. Red stripes on pale parchment skin.

"Holly, please. Don't do this. Don't end your own life."

Her eyes lifted off the mattress and into his own. He lost himself in the deep sapphires of hazel. Before they both knew it, his lips found hers. As they kissed, memories of her mother, father, and Commander swam through her mind, smiling. And at last, after more than twenty years of emptiness, she felt as if everything could be all right.

**I know, I know, It ended fluffy... Well, would you rather I killed her?**

**Please review and I will love you forever. Not even kidding.**


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